With Me

•1•

School.
A place where students go to learn and hang out with friends. Most believe that it is a fun environment.

Not me.

I dread going to school on most days. I love the classes and I have great friends it's just...

Kim Wonshik. Need I say more?
He believes that he owns the place and has done for five years now.

All because everyone lets him. He transferred to our school in year eight and everyone loved him from day one.

He made friends quickly with Sanghyuk and Hongbin. They are the three most good looking and 'powerful' people at our school.

What makes it worse is that they have everyone under their little fingers.

It is the final year of school so I only have to put up with them for one more year.

I am going to be so pleased once this year is over.

I place my hands in my pockets as I walk towards my locker. Everyone is chatting brightly and is happy to be back.

I haven't seen any of my friends yet. They are probably late. They always catch the bus together but they usually miss it so they end up walking.

I get to my locker and key in the code before unlocking it. I place my bag in the space for it and pull out enough books for the first two classes.

"Yah, four eyes is here" I hear an all too familiar voice call out. Great. It's been less than five minutes since I arrived and Wonshik's crew have already found me.

"Hello Sanghyuk. Hello Hongbin. How was your winter break?" I smile tightly at the pair.

It's not surprising that Wonshik isn't with them yet. He never shows up to first period.

"Are you getting attitude with us?" Hongbin places a hand on his heart and pretends to look offended.

"No I'm just asking how your break was" I say weakly. I'm such a coward. I do have to say that they scare me.

"Woah. Is that a bubble tea?" Sanghyuk suddenly grabs my shoulders and roughly removes me from my position in front of my locker.

I turn to see that he has discovered the unopened bubble tea which I bought for lunch.

"That's mine" I try to sound strong but my voice breaks halfway through.

Hongbin laughs at me and Sanghyuk pulls the drink from my bag. He pokes a hole in it with the straw before taking a sip.

He screws his face up in disgust.
"Ugh. Too much sugar."

I flinch as he throws the still full cup at my feet. The liquid goes everywhere, soaking my shoes.

"Be sure to clean that up glass face" Hongbin smirks at me and they both laugh before walking down the hallway.

Students around me laugh.

No one steps in. Then again, no one ever does. It's either join them or become one of us.

I place my books on the locker shelf once more and crouch down to pick up the plastic cup and take it over to the bin.

I pull out several sheets of paper towel from the roll which I taped to the door of my locker last year. I use it that much.

I crouch down once more and begin to wipe up the spilt bubble tear. Tears blur my vision but I just blink them away.

"Jaehwan? What happened?"

I smile to myself when I hear that voice.
"Sanghyuk and Hongbin is what happened."